Pocket hole jig

ABSTRACT

A pocket hole jig includes base with a base plate and first and second lateral side walls extending along the base plate, and a body disposed between the first and second lateral side walls and slidable along the base in a forward direction and a rearward direction. The body includes a drill bit aperture angled downward toward the base plate. The pocket hole jig also includes a fence movable between a raised position and a lowered position and having a contact surface engageable with an end of the workpiece when the fence is in the lowered position to position the base a predetermined distance from the end of the workpiece. The contact surface is in a first position when the fence is in the raised position and a second position when the fence is in the lowered position. The second position is forward of the first position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/883,261, filed on Jan. 30, 2018, which in turn claims priority toU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/453,086, filed on Feb. 1,2017, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/515,862, filedon Jun. 6, 2017, the entire contents all of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pocket hole jigs, and particularly to apocket hole jig having a fence for aligning the pocket hole jig to aworkpiece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pocket hole jigs are commonly used to facilitate locating and drillingpocket holes in a workpiece. Known pocket hole jigs lack a means foraccurately positioning the jig with respect to either of an end or aface of a workpiece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides, in one aspect, a pocket hole jig forlocating pocket holes in a workpiece. The pocket hole jig includes basewith a base plate and first and second lateral side walls extendingalong the base plate, and a body disposed between the first and secondlateral side walls and slidable along the base in a forward directionand a rearward direction. The body includes a drill bit aperture angleddownward toward the base plate. The pocket hole jig also includes afence movable between a raised position and a lowered position andhaving a contact surface engageable with an end of the workpiece whenthe fence is in the lowered position to position the base apredetermined distance from the end of the workpiece. The contactsurface is in a first position when the fence is in the raised positionand a second position when the fence is in the lowered position. Thesecond position is forward of the first position.

The present invention provides, in another aspect, a pocket hole jig forlocating pocket holes in a workpiece. The pocket hole jig includes basewith a base plate and first and second lateral side walls extendingalong the base plate, and a body disposed between the first and secondlateral side walls and slidable along the base in a forward directionand a rearward direction. The body includes a drill bit aperture angleddownward toward the base plate. The pocket hole jig also includes afence pivotally coupled to the base, the fence being pivotable between araised position and a lowered position. The fence includes a pluralityof legs configured to contact the workpiece in the lowered position.

The present invention provides, in another aspect, a pocket hole jig forlocating pocket holes in a workpiece. The pocket hole jig includes basewith a base plate and first and second lateral side walls extendingalong the base plate, and a body disposed between the first and secondlateral side walls and slidable along the base in a forward directionand a rearward direction. The body includes a drill bit aperture angleddownward toward the base plate. The pocket hole jig further includes afence movable between a raised position and a lowered position, thefence including a first contact surface and a second contact surfaceopposite the first contact surface. The first contact surface isengageable with an end of the workpiece when the fence is in the loweredposition to position the base a predetermined distance from the end ofthe workpiece, and the second contact surface is engageable with a faceof a second workpiece abutting the end of the workpiece when the fenceis in the raised position to position the base the predetermineddistance from the end of the workpiece.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent byconsideration of the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pocket hole jig according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an alternative perspective view of the pocket hole jig of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an alternative perspective view of the pocket hole jig of FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a base of the pocket hole jig of FIG. 1illustrating a fence in a lowered position.

FIG. 5 is an alternative perspective view of the base of FIG. 4illustrating the fence between the lowered position and an upwardposition.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first workpiece including pocket holesformed using the pocket hole jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second workpiece including pocketholes formed using the pocket hole jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a pocket hole jig according to anotherembodiment of the invention with a fence in a raised position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pocket hole jig of FIG. 8 with thefence in a lowered position.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the pocket hole jig ofFIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is an alternative perspective view of a portion of the pockethole jig of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 12 is a perspective view of the fence of the pocket hole jig ofFIG. 8.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the pocket hole jig of FIG. 8 with the fencein the lowered position.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the pocket hole jig of FIG. 8 with the fencein the raised position.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pocket hole jig 10 according to oneembodiment. The jig 10 can be used to properly locate and facilitatedrilling pocket holes 12, 16 in a workpiece 18, such as a piece of wood(FIG. 6). The holes 12, 16 each receive a pocket screw 19 that is usedto attach the workpiece 18 to a second workpiece.

Referring to FIG. 1, the jig 10 includes a base 20 and a body 22 movablerelative to the base 20. The body 22 includes a drill bit aperture 24(FIG. 3), a window 26, and indicia 28. The aperture 24 is angleddownwardly toward the base 20 at an oblique angle and is shaped andsized to receive and guide a drill bit. When a drill bit is insertedthrough the aperture 24, the bit extends through an aperture 30 (FIG. 3)in the base 20 to drill into the workpiece 18. The window 26 is providedso that a user can see the drill bit traveling through the aperture 24and into the workpiece and so that debris (e.g., wood chips) created bythe drill bit can exit the jig 10. The aperture 30 and the window 26 arein communication with, or intersect, the drill bit aperture 24.

The base 20 includes a base plate 31 and a generally U-shaped front wall32 extending upward from the base plate 31. The front wall 32 has agenerally planer front surface 34, which is also the forwardmost orfront surface of the base 20. A back end 36 of the base 20 does notinclude a wall, such that the back end 36 is open. Lateral side walls 38extend upward from the base plate 31, from the front wall 32 toward theback end 36.

The body 22 is disposed between the lateral side walls 38 such that thebody 22 can slide forward (i.e. in the direction of arrow 40) andrearward (i.e. in the direction of arrow 42) relative to the base 20(FIG. 1). Forward movement of the body 22 is limited by the front wall32, while the open back end 36 permits the body 22 to be completelywithdrawn from the base 20. In some embodiments, a retaining member(e.g., a projection) may limit rearward movement of the body 22 toprevent the body from being separated from the base 20.

Friction between the base 20 and body 22 holds the body 22 in positionrelative to the base 20 until the user exerts sufficient force to slidethe body 22. In some embodiments, the body 22 may include a projectionor projections and the base 20 may include a series of recesses thatreceive the projection(s) to releasably hold the body 22 in the desiredposition relative to the base 20. The sides 38 each include a marking 47(e.g., an arrow in illustrated embodiment). The marking 47 and indicia28 of the body 22 indicate to the user the relative position of the body22 relative to the base 20. The indicia 28 include a plurality of linesthat each correspond to a particular thickness 46 (FIG. 6) of theworkpiece 18 (e.g., ¾ inch, 1 inch, 1¼ inch, etc.). That is, the usercan position the body 22 relative to the base 20 by aligning the arrow47 to the indicia 28 that corresponds to the thickness 46 of theworkpiece 18.

The base 20 further includes a fence 50. The fence 50 aids the user inquickly and accurately positioning the jig 10 a correct distance 52 froman end 54 of the workpiece 18 (FIG. 6). The distance 52 and setting ofarrow 47 and indicia 28 to the thickness 46 of the workpiece 18 areimportant so that the screw 19 exits the workpiece 18 through the end 54of the workpiece 18 rather than through a face 56 of the workpiece 18.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the fence 50 is pivotally attached tothe front end 34 of the base 20. The fence 50 is pivotable between afirst or raised position (FIG. 2) and a second or lowered position (FIG.4). The fence 50 includes legs 58 with contact surfaces 60. When thefence 50 is in the lowered position, the contact surfaces 60 arecoplanar with the front surface 34 of the front wall 32. Due to thepivot position of the fence 50, the contact surfaces 60 are brought bothdown and forward when the fence 50 is moved to the lowered position. Inother words, the contact surfaces 60 occupy a first position when thefence 50 is in the raised position and a second position when the fence50 is in the lowered position. The second position is forward of thefirst position.

The illustrated fence 50 further includes a center portion 62 having arecess 64. The recess 64 keeps the fence 50 clear from the path of thedrill bit when the fence 50 is in the lowered position. In someembodiments, the fence 50 may be spring biased toward either the loweredposition or the upward position, such as by a torsion spring 65.Alternatively, the fence 50 may be spring biased toward both the loweredposition and the upward position, such as by an over-center spring. Insome embodiments, a detent 69 may be used to retain the fence 50 ineither or both the downward and upward positions until the user pivotsthe fence 50.

In operation, when the fence 50 is in the lowered position (FIG. 4) thejig 10 can be used for locating pocket holes 12, 16 (FIG. 6). The jig 10is placed on the face 56 of the workpiece 18 so that the base 20 restson the face 56. The distance 52 is set by the fence 50. Morespecifically, the contact surfaces 60 of the legs 58 of the fence 50 areplaced in contact with the end 54 of the workpiece 18. This positionsthe jig 10 the correct distance 52 from the end 54. The user can thendrill the hole 12 by inserting the drill bit through drill bit aperture24 and advancing the drill bit the desired distance. To drill anotherhole 16, the user repositions the jig 10 on the face 56 to drill thehole 16 in the same manner. Thus, the fence 50 advantageously allowsmultiple pocket holes 12, 16 to be drilled at the same distance 52 fromthe end 54, and the distance 52 is properly calibrated such that thepocket holes 12, 16 intersect the end 54 of the workpiece 18.

In some applications, such as that illustrated in FIG. 7, a workpiece 66does not have a free end 68 over which to hang the legs 58 of the fence50 like the end 54 of the workpiece 18 of FIG. 6. In such applications,the fence 50 is placed in the raised position shown in FIG. 2. Then, thefront surface 34 is aligned with the end 68 of the workpiece 66 to setthe jig 10 at the correct distance 52. In the application shown in FIG.7, a second workpiece 70 is located at the end 68 of the first workpiece66. Therefore, the front surface 34 can simply be abutted against thesecond workpiece 70 to properly position the jig 10 the distance 52 forlocating pocket screw holes 12, 16.

FIGS. 8-14 illustrate a jig 110 according to another embodiment. The jig110 includes features that are similar to the jig 10 of FIGS. 8-14 andlike components have been given like reference numbers plus 100. The jig110 includes a base 120 with a base plate 131 and lateral side walls 138(FIG. 11). A body 122 is disposed between the side walls 138 and movablerelative to the base 120. The jig 110 also includes a fence 150 (FIGS. 8and 9). The fence 150 is movable between a first or raised position(FIG. 8) and a second or lowered position (FIG. 9). The fence 150includes a rearward facing contact surface 160 and a forward facingcontact surface 162 opposite the contact surface 160. The rearwardcontact surface 160 occupies a first position when the fence 150 is inthe raised position and a second position when the fence 150 is in thelowered position. The second position is forward of the first position.

The fence 150 is used in the lowered position when there is a free end54 (FIGS. 6 and 13) on the work piece 18 over which to hang the fence150. The fence 150 is moved to the raised position when there is no freeend 68 (FIGS. 7 and 17) over which to hang the fence 150 and the forwardfacing contact surface 162 of the fence 150 then abuts the workpiece 70to properly position the jig 110.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the body 120 includes a groove 200 at thefront end 134 of the base 120 at each side of the base 120. The grooves200 are at an inclined angle 202 relative to a flat bottom surface 203of the base 120. Each groove 200 includes a lower detent 204 and anupper detent 206.

Referring to FIG. 12, the fence 150 includes legs 210. Each leg 210includes a rail 212 that is received in one of the grooves 200 of thebase 120. A ball-shaped projection 214 is located on each rail 212.Referring to FIG. 10, when the fence 150 (fence 50 in FIGS. 4 and 5) isin the raised position, the ball-shaped projections 214 (ball-shapedprojections 67 in FIGS. 4 and 5) are received in the upper detents 206(upper detents 69 in FIG. 4) to hold the fence 150 (fence 50 in FIGS. 4and 5) in the raised position. The ball-shaped projections 214 arereceived in the lower detents 204 when the fence 150 is in the loweredposition to hold the fence 150 in the lower position. The rails 212being received the grooves 200 guide movement of the fence 150 betweenthe raised and lowered positions.

Referring to FIGS. 13-14, in operation, when the fence 150 is in thelowered position (FIG. 13) the jig 110 can be used for locating holes12, 16 (FIG. 6). The jig 110 is placed on the face 56 of the workpiece18 so that the base 120 rests on the face 56. The distance 52 (FIG. 6)is set by the fence 150. More specifically, the contact surface 160 ofthe fence 150 is placed in contact with the end 54 of the workpiece 18.This positions the jig 110 the correct distance 52 from the end 54. Theuser can then drill the hole 12 (FIG. 6) by inserting a drill bit 300(FIG. 11) through the drill bit aperture 124 and advancing the drill bit300 the desired distance. To drill another hole 16, the user repositionsthe jig 110 on the face 56 to drill the hole 16 in the same manner.Thus, the fence 150 advantageously allows multiple pocket holes 12, 16to be drilled at the same distance 52 from the end 54, and the distance52 is properly calibrated such that the pocket holes 12, 16 intersectthe end 54 of the workpiece 18.

In some applications, such as that illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 14, aworkpiece 66 does not have a free end 68 over which to hang the fence150 like the end 54 of the workpiece 18 of FIG. 6. In such applications,the fence 150 is placed in the raised position shown in FIG. 14. Withthe fence 150 in the raised position, the forward facing contact surface162 of the fence 150 abuts the workpiece 70 to position the apertures12, 16 at the appropriate distance 52 (FIG. 7).

The fence 150 is moved between the raised and lowered positions bysliding the fence 150 in the grooves 200. The ball-shaped projections214 and the recesses 204 and 206 releasably retain the fence 150 in thedesired position. Also, the angle 202 (FIG. 10) of the grooves 200causes the rearward facing contact surface 160 of the fence 150 to bepositioned a distance 302 (FIG. 13) from the front surface 134 of thebase 120 when in the lowered position. The distance 302 is equal to thethickness of the fence 150 (i.e. the perpendicular distance between thecontact surfaces 160, 162) so that the jig positions the holes 12, 16the same distance from the ends 54, 68 of the workpieces 18, 66regardless whether the there is a free end over which to hang the fence150.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pocket hole jig for locating pocket holes in aworkpiece, the pocket hole jig comprising: a base including a base plateand first and second lateral side walls extending along the base plate;a body disposed between the first and second lateral side walls andslidable along the base in a first direction and a second directionopposite the first direction, the body including a drill bit apertureangled relative to the base plate; and a fence movable between a raisedposition and a lowered position, the fence including a first contactsurface and a second contact surface opposite the first contact surface,wherein, with the body in a position relative to the base, the firstcontact surface is engageable with an end of the workpiece with thefence in the lowered position to place the base a predetermined distancefrom the end of the workpiece, and wherein, with the body in theposition relative to the base, the second contact surface is engageablewith a face of a second workpiece abutting the end of the workpiece withthe fence in the raised position to place the base the predetermineddistance from the end of the workpiece.
 2. The pocket hole jig of claim1, wherein the fence is pivotally coupled to the base.
 3. The pockethole jig of claim 2, wherein the fence is pivotally coupled to the baseabout a pivot axis, and the pivot axis extends in a directionperpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
 4. Thepocket hole jig of claim 1, wherein the fence is slidably coupled to thebase.
 5. The pocket hole jig of claim 4, further comprising a rail andgroove interface slidably coupling the fence to the base.
 6. The pockethole jig of claim 5, wherein the fence further includes a rail, the basefurther includes a groove, and the rail is slidably received in thegroove.
 7. The pocket hole jig of claim 6, wherein the base furtherincludes an indentation, and the rail includes a ball-shaped projectionengageable with the indentation.
 8. A pocket hole jig for locatingpocket holes in a workpiece, the pocket hole jig comprising: a base; abody coupled to the base and slidable relative to the base in a lineardirection, the body including a drill bit aperture angled obliquelyrelative to the base; and a fence pivotally coupled to the base about apivot axis perpendicular to the linear direction, the fence beingpivotable between a first position and a second position.
 9. The pockethole jig of claim 8, wherein the fence is biased toward at least one ofthe first position and the second position.
 10. The pocket hole jig ofclaim 8, wherein one of the fence and the base includes a detentconfigured to releasably hold the fence in at least one of the firstposition and the second position.
 11. The pocket hole jig of claim 8,wherein the fence includes a plurality of legs.
 12. The pocket hole jigof claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the fence is lowered in thesecond position relative to the first position, and the fence furtherincludes a center portion having a recess to provide clearance for adrill bit inserted through the drill bit aperture with the fence in thesecond position.
 13. The pocket hole jig of claim 8, wherein the fenceis pivotally coupled to an end of the base.
 14. The pocket hole jig ofclaim 8, wherein the fence further includes a contact surface, and thecontact surface is at least partially disposed beyond the base on a sideopposite the body in the second position.
 15. A pocket hole jig forlocating pocket holes in a workpiece, the pocket hole jig comprising: abase having a rest surface to engage the workpiece; a body disposed onthe base and slidable relative to the base in a first linear direction,the body including a drill bit passageway defined therein, the drill bitpassageway extending in a direction that is angled obliquely relative tothe rest surface; and a fence disposed on the base and slidable relativeto the base in a second linear direction, the second linear directionangled obliquely relative to the rest surface, the fence slidablebetween a raised position and a lowered position.
 16. The pocket holejig of claim 15, wherein the first linear direction is parallel to therest surface.
 17. The pocket hole jig of claim 15, wherein the fenceextends beyond the rest surface on a side opposite the body in thelowered position.
 18. The pocket hole jig of claim 17, wherein the fenceincludes a fence thickness, and the fence is disposed a distance awayfrom the base in the lowered position relative to the raised position,the distance extends in a direction parallel to the first lineardirection, and the distance is equal to the fence thickness.
 19. Thepocket hole jig of claim 15, wherein one of the base and the fenceincludes a groove defined therein, and another of the base and the fenceincludes a rail slidably received in the groove to couple the fence tothe base.
 20. The pocket hole jig of claim 19, wherein one of the grooveand the rail includes a detent configured to releasably hold the fencein at least one of the raised position and the lowered position.